by Nina Vaclavikova
The Australian sailing champion, back in the city nearly 20 years after his first and only appearance, called the race one of the largest and most remarkable in the world.
Australian sailing champion Jimmy Spithill returned to Trieste for the Barcolana regatta, nearly two decades after competing in the event for the first and only time.
Spithill, co-founder and chief executive of the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team, led a group of athletes, content creators and guests representing Red Bull, which fielded a boat for this year’s race.
“I’m happy to be back,” Spithill said, recalling his previous visit nearly 20 years ago. He also pointed to Monfalcone, near Trieste, as an important center for sailing, where he frequently visits through a project with one of his sponsors.
Several members of the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team joined him, including sailors Jana Germani, Andrea Tesei, Phil Robertson and Mattia Camboni. The group also included Red Bull player Sara Stefanizzi, known as Kurolily, and content creators Daniel Tarantello, known as Sinnaggagghiri, and Dani Gallo.
Spithill praised Trieste’s strong sailing tradition, noting that several of his teammates live in the city. But he reserved particular admiration for the Barcolana, which draws thousands of boats to the Gulf of Trieste each year.
“The Barcolana is one of the biggest regattas in the world,” he said. “It’s the only one with nearly 2,000 boats together. It’s incredible, and the start will be absolute chaos.”
Spithill also expressed interest in bringing a foiling boat to the event in the future, a prospect he described as an exciting challenge for a regatta known for its extraordinary scale and diverse fleet.
